It was a case of tyre cheques when two charities received a welcome early Christmas present from Woodbridge Tyre, Exhaust and Auto Services at Ipswich.

The business in Anson Road on Martlesham Heath Business Park, helped to raise £350 for the East Anglian Air Ambulance and £150 for St Elizabeth Hospice through a charity promotion run by Kumho Tyres.

Director Mark Westgate said Kumho put £100,000 into its Cash for Causes scheme with the local charities and good causes chosen by tyre depots. For the second year running Woodbridge Tyre, Exhaust and Auto Services chose regional charity the East Anglian Air Ambulance and local one St Elizabeth Hospice in Ipswich. Customers buying any tyres voted for which charity they wanted to support so that when Kumho allocated the depot’s share of the charity fund it was split proportionately between the two chosen causes.

Mr Westgate said: “This time of year, with everything that is going on, it is nice to show our customers what they have done and who they have voted for. It is also nice to represent Kumho and give something back to a couple of local charities.

“St Elizabeth Hospice is a local charity in Ipswich where we are based and one of roles of the East Anglian Air Ambulance is dealing with motoring accidents which ties in with our business.”

Pip Duffy, fund raising manager for the air ambulance, said it needed to raise £7.6m a year to keep two aircraft – based at Cambridge and Norwich airports – flying and provide medical equipment to treat patients. It was also the first air ambulance service in England to fly at night.

“It costs £180 an hour for fuel so that £350 is a couple of missions you have fuelled which is incredible as it is potentially two lives saved.”

Gavin Lamb, business partnership fund raiser of the hospice in Foxhall Road which reaches its 25th anniversary next year, said: “We have to raise £9.1m a year and £150 helps. It doesn’t matter whether it is £1.50, £10 or £150, it all mounts up.”